And, slightly off-topic, I catch myself all the time referring to the stereo as the record player and CDs as records. Old habits die hard.

Billboards annoy me, every last one of 'em. They make me feel contrary to using the products displayed.

Best forms of advertising: Humor, but not too idiotic, and packaging (I must admit) will pull in the customer. However, I get a bit annoyed when it's obvious a great deal of money has been poured into pretty useless, extravagant packaging.

Best way to get a loyal customer: Have a great product that you can count on for consistently predictable quality in whatever price range the customer in question can afford.

An aside: I was shopping in the children's section of a department store last week to find some bows for a costume to be used in an upcoming school play. There on the check-out counter in the children's department was a display of Godiva chocolates. I thought, "Good grief. Here they are trying to implant the image of expensive chocolates in the brains of small children. Whatever happened to M&M's--and how did Godiva pull off this ploy?"

Godiva-- not what it used to be... did you see the last sentence? Since Godiva Chocolatier, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary, we do not publish a separate financial statement, and do not discuss total sales, advertising costs or financial performance.

for the past 20 years they have been owned by an american corporations.. i don't remember parent company name, but they also own Pepperidge Farms (bread/cookies/baked goods) and Campbell's soup.. since being bought by an american company, the placement in stores has increased dramatically, to a point the chocolate was losing is cashe. in the past 5 years they have become more exclusive.

I was a little amused by the explanation for Campbell's failure (they still made money apparently, but their "sales declined").

Consumers did not reach for our brands with the same love and loyalty as before. "Why?" we asked.

and

We failed to prove our product relevance with consumers in a dynamic marketplace.

Such lovely verbiage and not a word about their products being overpriced.I *love* Pepperidge Farms Cheasapeakes. My favorite cookie next to my own. But it usually costs $4 in my local Giant food store, or 50 cents a cookie. At half off (which is the most I'll pay for them), it's $2 (25 cents a cookie). At the BJ's, I think it's 1.79.

The only reason I would buy these cookies (delicious as they are) is to save myself the time of making my own (I can make cookies just as good but it does a few hours). At 25 to 50 cents a cookie, I think I can wait till I have time to make my own.

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